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  • Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

    NASA Awards Historic Green Aviation Prize



    MOFFETT FIELD, Calif.

    -- NASA has awarded the largest prize in aviation history, created to inspire the development of more fuel-efficient aircraft and spark the start of a new electric airplane industry. The technologies demonstrated by the CAFE Green Flight Challenge, sponsored by Google, competitors may end up in general aviation aircraft, spawning new jobs and new industries for the 21st century.


    The first place prize of $1.35 million was awarded to team Pipistrel-USA.com of State College, Pa. The second place prize of $120,000 went to team eGenius, of Ramona, Calif.


    Fourteen teams originally registered for the competition. Three teams successfully met all requirements and competed in the skies over the Charles M. Schulz Sonoma County Airport in Santa Rosa, Calif. The competition was managed by the Comparative Aircraft Flight Efficiency (CAFE) Foundation under an agreement with NASA.


    "NASA congratulates Pipistrel-USA.com for proving that ultra-efficient aviation is within our grasp," said Joe Parrish, NASA's acting chief technologist at NASA Headquarters in Washington. "Today we've shown that electric aircraft have moved beyond science fiction and are now in the realm of practice."


    The winning aircraft had to fly 200 miles in less than two hours and use less than one gallon of fuel per occupant, or the equivalent in electricity.
    The first and second place teams, which were both electric-powered, achieved twice the fuel efficiency requirement of the competition, meaning they flew 200 miles using just over a half-gallon of fuel equivalent per passenger.

    "Two years ago the thought of flying 200 miles at 100 mph in an electric aircraft was pure science fiction," said Jack W. Langelaan, team leader of Team Pipistrel-USA.com. "Now, we are all looking forward to the future of electric aviation."


    This week's competition marks the culmination of more than two years of aircraft design, development and testing for the teams. It represents the dawn of a new era in efficient flight and is the first time that full-scale electric aircraft have performed in competition. Collectively, the competing teams invested more than $4 million in pursuit of the challenge prize purse.

    "I'm proud that Pipistrel won, they've been a leader in getting these things into production, and the team really deserves it, and worked hard to win this prize," said Eric Raymond, team leader of eGenius.



    Some photos available at : http://www.flickr.com/photos/nasahqphoto

    Website for the contest is at : http://cafefoundation.org/v2/main_home.php


    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------




    ADDITIONAL:

    LEAP Awards First Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft to e-Genius


    Quietest Aircraft Prize Addresses One Of The Biggest Threats To Aviation



    At the NASA Green Flight Challenge, Erik Lindbergh, founder of LEAP, announced the first winner of the Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft.


    The prize was awarded to e-Genius, a two-seat electric airplane designed and built by University of Stuttgart Institute of Aircraft Design under the leadership of Professor Rudolf Voit-Nitschmann and his two assistants Len Schumann and Steffen Geinitz, and piloted by Eric Raymond and Klaus Ohlmann.

    Accompanying the prize was a cash award of $10,000, generously donated by Jean Schulz, widow of Charles M. Schulz for whom the airport where the competition took place was named.


    The Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft is a new prize for LEAP, which has awarded seven prior prizes for electric aircraft development at events in Europe and the US.


    LEAP’s programs recognize, inspire and incentivize the innovation that drives our culture, economy and future. The LEAP Electric Flight Program is accelerating the development of the electric aircraft industry through a range of activities, from prizes to advocacy.


    The guiding principle underlying the design of the Lindbergh Prize for Quietest Aircraft was to quantify the noise impact of aircraft on the surrounding community. The testing was performed by an independent team of aero-acousticians who measured takeoff noise levels of each of the planes in the Green Flight Challenge.

    Measurements were taken at several points along each side of the runway to factor out variables such as crosswind noise. Noise levels of the competitors ranged from a minimum of 56dBA to a maximum of 72dBA. e-Genius won with a takeoff range of 56 – 62 dBA. By comparison, the takeoff noise of a turbo-fan aircraft at a similar distance is 110 dBA, OVER 16 TIMES LOUDER!. (Sorry for shouting...)


    Home page for LEAP : http://lindberghprize.org/



    .
    Last edited by AirDOGGe; 10-03-2011, 04:42 PM.

  • #2
    Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

    ....and our very own Dave Morss was the pilot of the winning Team Pipistrel aircraft. Congrats, Dave!
    Biplane Race #3

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

      It was a different type of air race but very rewarding. as always in air racing the team makes it all possible and this was one of the best teams i've ever been associated with
      dave
      www.davemorss.com

      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

        You need to get them to offset some of that green-ness and build something to race in sport class now.

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

          Congratulations on you and your teams accomplishments.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

            What was the equivalent power / capacity for the electric aircraft ?

            (Edit I found it in the rules)
            115,000 BTU energy content of 1 gallon of 87
            Octane unleaded auto gasoline be equivalent to: 33.7 kWh.

            The next event should make them average 200mph and raise the speed each year.
            Last edited by Reno_Steve; 10-04-2011, 07:07 AM.

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

              Originally posted by Reno_Steve View Post
              What was the equivalent power / capacity for the electric aircraft ?

              (Edit I found it in the rules)
              115,000 BTU energy content of 1 gallon of 87
              Octane unleaded auto gasoline be equivalent to: 33.7 kWh.

              The next event should make them average 200mph and raise the speed each year.
              I think they need to make them fly the same speed, but twice the endurance, and limit the charging time they get before flight. That is the limiting factor for both electric cars and airplanes. If I can't go at least 500 miles on a charge with a maximum of four hours charging time, then it is completely useless.

              Dave, what was the KW usage / amp draw of that electric motor at high power settings? How much of the total airframe weight % is battery weight? I have had an idea bouncing around in my head for a while.....
              Last edited by Race5; 10-04-2011, 09:16 AM. Reason: Added to...

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                we had about 800 lbs of batteries
                dave
                www.davemorss.com

                Comment


                • #9
                  Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                  Originally posted by morss View Post
                  we had about 800 lbs of batteries
                  dave
                  Wow, wasn't expecting quite that much.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                    Battery weight, cost and capacity has always been the main limitation of electric vehicles, especially cars. I can see how the first item can be the biggest issue with aviation electrics.

                    I wonder if someone will even be able to design a truly lightweight battery or fuel cell of reasonable output capacity, and one that didn't cost the owner $100,000+ either.




                    Originally posted by Race5 View Post
                    You need to get them to offset some of that green-ness and build something to race in sport class now.

                    How about an all-electric class? Sounds like a great next step for the races with a positive twist for the media to chew on for a change ("Headlines: RARA GOES GREEN"!)...maybe someday.
                    Last edited by AirDOGGe; 10-04-2011, 09:13 PM.

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                      Originally posted by AirDOGGe View Post
                      How about an all-electric class? Sounds like a great next step for the races with a positive twist for the media to chew on for a change ("Headlines: RARA GOES GREEN"!)...maybe someday.
                      I wonder what they'll sound like....
                      sandra@pit-lizards-ultd.net
                      1.775.338.7082
                      http://www.pit-lizards-ultd.net

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                        Like a bunch of guys with cordless electric razors running by while shaving...

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition



                          "French pilot Hugues Duval broke his own speed record for electric aircraft after topping 175 mph.

                          He made the record-setting flight in the same twin-engine Cri Cri airplane he flew to achieve his previous record of 162 mph in December. He completed the flight during the Paris Air Show after a full week of demonstration flights.

                          The tiny Cri Cri has a wingspan of a bit more than 16 feet. Powered by a pair of 35-horsepower electric motors and a pair of batteries totaling 3 kilowatt-hours (and 24 kilograms), the electric Cri Cri can fly for about 25 minutes at 65 mph."

                          An electric class would be a good idea at Reno. Restricting the battery cost/weight would be a way of keeping costs down, although an unlimited class should also be provided.
                          I expect speeds to be over 400mph within a couple of years. From my experience of electric RC aircraft the sound could be pleasant especially as twins are easy to construct.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                            Hmmm, the prospect of a weed whacker class does not exactly stir the soul...

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Re: Super-efficient aircraft wins "GREEN" competition

                              Congratulations to Team Pipstral and Pilot Dave Morss!!!

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